CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—It’s probably not the best time for Tony Stewart to assume the role of NASCAR’s traffic cop.

The two-time champion continued his slide in the Sprint Cup Series standings Sunday at Infineon Raceway, where a 39th-place finish dropped him to 12th in points. It was an unacceptable outcome for Stewart, who had a car capable of contending for the win but had his day end when Brian Vickers intentionally sent the Chevrolet into a stack of tires.

It was payback for Stewart wrecking Vickers earlier in the race, and Stewart understood—maybe even accepted—Vickers’ motivation.

But he was unapologetic and insisted that he was right in initiating the chain of events that led to his wrecked race car.

“I probably had it coming because I dumped him earlier, but I dumped him because he was blocking,” Stewart said. “If they want to block, that’s what is going to happen to them every time for the rest of my career.”

That’s probably not the best attitude to have when your championship chances are suddenly on the line. The smarter thinking would probably be to race safe, to protect strong finishes and find a way to climb off the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship bubble.

Yet this is how it goes sometimes with Stewart, who has a low tolerance for competitors who he deems are “driving like idiots.” This kind of thing has happened before, and it seems to stem from Stewart’s own frustration. He’s had plenty of that this season, beginning with a disappointing end to the Daytona 500.

In position to finally win NASCAR’s biggest race of the year by lining up second on the final restart of the race, Stewart was instead beaten by 20-year-old Trevor Bayne and faded to 13th over the last two laps. Cautions cost him a win the next week at Phoenix, and a team mistake on pit road ruined a dominating run the next week at Las Vegas.

Three chances to win, and nothing to show for it.

Those goose eggs are a tough pill to swallow now, as teams jockey for position in NASCAR’s new points system. Only the top 10 drivers in points will earn automatic berths into the Chase, with the final two wild cards being set aside for the highest ranking drivers with the most wins.

Right now, Stewart would be safe because Brad Keselowski, with one win, wouldn’t be eligible to bump Stewart because he’s ranked 22nd in points. But Keselowski is only 12 points away from cracking the top-20, and thus bumping the 12th-place driver from the Chase.

So one would think that situation, and not policing on-track etiquette, would be Stewart’s bigger concern.

Yet Stewart seems hellbent right now on enforcing an unspoken code of conduct between drivers.

“I don’t know if its lack of respect or guys just pushing the envelope and not working with each other,” Stewart said. “There wasn’t any reason at that point of the race where he started blocking in the first place. It didn’t make sense to do it and I’m not going to tolerate it. I don’t race guys that way and I’m not going to let anybody race me that way.

“So if they block they get dumped. Plain and simple.”

But in this new day of “Boys, have at it,” Stewart will likely find that retribution is in every turn. For as adamant as Stewart was that he had every right to start this game with Vickers—who, by the way, denied blocking— Vickers was just as adamant that he was right to retaliate.

“He made his bed at that moment, and he had to sleep in it,” Vickers said. “He made his move and I addressed it. It’s a competitive environment and we all want to win. I don’t know why he wrecked me. That was his decision to make. But I’m good.”

Drivers aren’t afraid anymore to stand up to Stewart, and he’s not running strong enough to command instant respect. He’s had only four top-10 finishes since the Las Vegas miss 13 weeks ago.

He recognized that things were going south at Stewart-Haas Racing, and he ousted competition director Bobby Hutchens earlier this month. Stewart is just starting the search for a replacement, and it’s doubtful he’ll have anyone in place before the Chase begins.

That leaves him with 10 weeks to turn the season around or risk missing the Chase for only the second time since its 2004 inception. Stewart doesn’t have much time to mess around, or put himself in position to be stuck on a stack of tires in a race he maybe could have won.

Stewart needs to focus on himself right now, and stop worrying about everybody else.

i like when people post articles like this................. not every story is going to glorify tony, so i like the fact this was shared, i think there is some stock in to what was written, tony and shr is not having the kind of year that they should worry about others, need to concentrate on themselves.

I thought Jenna made some valid points, MJ. That's why I posted it. I'm a diehard Stewart fan but I also can disagree with him on some things. No one is right all the time, not me, not you, not Tony. In this case, I think he was wrong to dump Vickers. He should have been more patient. JMO.

well im the type that likes to see all angles of a story or a debate, not one that benifits me or my driver, the only way you learn more is to read all the info out there, i read a ton of bad press for JJ, to steal your term, some of them do offer valid points

Tony Stewart pretty much dared any Sprint Cup driver to block him with his antics on and off the race track Sunday at Infineon Raceway.

Stewart dumped Brian Vickers for blocking him during the race and said afterward that even if drivers wreck him in retaliation, as Vickers did, those that block him will pay the price.

Now the big question is will anyone take the bait? And will Stewart really risk a chance to make the Chase For The Sprint Cup by getting into an on-track fracas with other drivers?

There’s a good chance that Stewart is going to have to back up his ultimatum. And if Stewart wrecks someone, he can expect retaliation in return, either from the driver he dumped or another driver caught up in the chain reaction of the melee.

Stewart, currently 12th in the standings, can’t afford many more 39th-place finishes such as the one he suffered at Infineon after the shove from Vickers. But Stewart might not even care much if this costs him a spot in the Chase. His goal is to be contending for a championship – just getting in the Chase can’t be good enough for the two-time champ.

Maybe spending the Chase being the blocking police would be more fun than grinding his way through the Chase when he doesn’t appear to have a legitimate chance to win.

Then again, as a competitor, Stewart likely would have a hard time stomaching not making the Chase. And in his quest for sponsors, not making the Chase doesn’t help.

So Stewart could find himself in a quandary. If he thinks he won’t be blocked because of what he did to Vickers, he’s likely going to be disappointed, especially at a tight track like New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where the series races in a couple of weeks.

Here’s some guys who won’t hesitate to mess with Stewart:

• Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya is as aggressive and bull-headed as Stewart. They’ve had their run-ins in the past. They’re good friends, but if Montoya can hold off Stewart by blocking him, he won’t hesitate to do it.

• Brad Keselowski. If Keselowski feels he’s got a car that matches Stewart, he’ll make himself hard to pass. And he dumped Montoya last week for running into him.

• Joey Logano. Logano can’t afford to have “Smoke” smoke him on the track as he has to prove he is worthy of the ride that Stewart left at Joe Gibbs Racing.

• Jeff Gordon. Gordon says he has had his run-ins with Stewart and doesn’t have them anymore. Still, Gordon’s a driver who doesn’t want to rely on a wild card to make the Chase. He wants bonus points for his two wins for the Chase and to earn those, he needs to finish in the top 10.

• Kurt Busch. Busch isn’t a big fan of Hendrick Motorsports. Stewart’s team is a Hendrick affiliate. And Busch isn’t a guy who will let Stewart push him around.

Those five aren’t the only drivers that Stewart could wind up spinning out of his way if he wants to make good on his promise.

If Stewart intends to be the blocking police, he will need to make judgment calls. If someone just creeps over the line, he’ll want to let that driver go.

But if a driver goes way over the line (like, let’s say, Kyle Busch in a Lexus sports car over the line), then Stewart needs to take matters into his own hands. He can’t step too far back from his statements Sunday or all of his threats will be shallow.

The bottom line is that Stewart’s actions Sunday have him playing the role of intimidator. He has talked in the last couple of weeks about a lack of respect and then on Sunday he let his driving do the talking before issuing a postrace ultimatum.

Now he’ll find out if people respect his words. Or if they’ll send him a message that he hasn’t been running good enough in recent years to play the role of intimidator.

Those who intentionally live off another’s labor will always want more free stuff!

there was only one intimidator, and his name wasnt tony, but then again if he wants to punt people out of the way early in the race, im all for it, he wont make the chase, plus fans will get tired of his antics...........

As some others here have posted, Tony (and Ryan for that matter) need to focus on the "big picture" (the Chase) and start getting some wins or top-5, top-10 finishes to get locked in. The personal piques need to be put on the back burner for now.

this is what i never understood about tony........... few weeks ago he was mad cuz he hadda shift at pocono and blamed nascar, well dont shift and run in the back. or make some serious changes at the shop and in the pit crew to start running more consistent, now he puts it upon himself to start policing other drivers, i know if he was still iin the 20 car, gibbs wouldnt let tony get away with this crap, he is taking himself out of the championship, maybe he will rebound, i dunno, but to play these silly games is only going to hurt his chances, SHR is not that good of a team right now where they can afford to get caught up in monkey business.

IDK, if he wants to do it that way...so be it. Even though I think it's a stupid idea, thought so when that other "real" Intimidator did it...he got away with it because he "was NA$CAR" at the time and they didn't dare touch him. It's also why I prefer open wheel, who has a rules reguarding blocking, other than that that if you can't pass cleanly, tough sh*t.

As far as this season goes, I wrote it off after Texas...too many things goin' against'em. Daytona- lost it because of the last restart because Martin shoulda' stayed retired. Phoenix- had a chance, but late caution ended that. Vegas- screwed by pit crew. Texas- had a pretty good chance on fuel strategy, Tony speeds on pit road. Kansas- probably woulda' won if the fuel guy gets the car full. Pocono- wouldn't have won, but probably a top 5 if the gearbox doesn't break. And last week, probably a top 3 gone. Point is, it's a "Murphy's Law" season...Tony's made mistakes, pit crew's made mistakes, Darian's been inconsistant(mid-pack cars that don't improve) and just general "bad luck" that can't be quantified.

Not only do I think he won't make the Chase(at this point anyway) I don't even see a Win this year, just too much gion' wrong. Even if he makes the Chase, I doubt SERIOUSLY he'd be a factor. So, if Tony wants to wreck cars(and have to repair his sh*t too) let'em...atleast it'll be something CONSISTANT to watch.

HiddenHollow wrote:As some others here have posted, Tony (and Ryan for that matter) need to focus on the "big picture" (the Chase) and start getting some wins or top-5, top-10 finishes to get locked in. The personal piques need to be put on the back burner for now.

I agree with everything you commented on HH. Tony better be thinking about winning and making the Chase otherwise this year is over for him.

smoke14rulez wrote:IDK, if he wants to do it that way...so be it. Even though I think it's a stupid idea, thought so when that other "real" Intimidator did it...he got away with it because he "was NA$CAR" at the time and they didn't dare touch him. It's also why I prefer open wheel, who has a rules reguarding blocking, other than that that if you can't pass cleanly, tough sh*t.

As far as this season goes, I wrote it off after Texas...too many things goin' against'em. Daytona- lost it because of the last restart because Martin shoulda' stayed retired. Phoenix- had a chance, but late caution ended that. Vegas- screwed by pit crew. Texas- had a pretty good chance on fuel strategy, Tony speeds on pit road. Kansas- probably woulda' won if the fuel guy gets the car full. Pocono- wouldn't have won, but probably a top 5 if the gearbox doesn't break. And last week, probably a top 3 gone. Point is, it's a "Murphy's Law" season...Tony's made mistakes, pit crew's made mistakes, Darian's been inconsistant(mid-pack cars that don't improve) and just general "bad luck" that can't be quantified.

Not only do I think he won't make the Chase(at this point anyway) I don't even see a Win this year, just too much gion' wrong. Even if he makes the Chase, I doubt SERIOUSLY he'd be a factor. So, if Tony wants to wreck cars(and have to repair his sh*t too) let'em...atleast it'll be something CONSISTANT to watch.

sounds like Rulez is due for a "Animal House" moment from John Belushi

Don't count Smoke out back when he won his championships he had an attitude and since he lost that attitude he has been off his game. I would like to see his bad boy attitude return so he can start kicking a__ again!I don't think to many of these drivers will test Tony because they know that he can make it very bad for them if they test him too much.